Wednesday, August 5, 2009

Once upon a time (back in January & February) the Crochet Lovers Victoria group on Ravelry had a toilet roll cover design competition. We entered our creations anonymously.

After contemplating several different ideas of what I could make for the comp, when falling asleep one night an idea popped into my head. I'd make a toilet! And I could have someone falling into the toilet with their pants around their ankles. I could even make a tiny roll of toilet paper hanging off one side, and a magazine rack on the other. Yep this was the one.

The next morning a sketched out my idea and started to plan how I'd make this come to life.

A few days later I got to work. I started with a large blue circle to represent the water in the toilet (and a hole in the center for the "person" to fall in to. I then moved on to the toilet seat. I worked down from there to create the base of the toilet, and then I attached a toilet lid. I then created the tank or cistern behind this and stuffed it with hobbyfill to make it more solid.

I added two different sized buttons to the top of the tank to represent the half flush and full flush buttons we have here in Australia. I then manipulated a small paper clip and some paper towel into a toilet roll and attached it to the side of the tank. (I have to say, the little roll of toilet paper is probably my favourite part!)

Then it came time to making the person to go down the hole. I got some flesh coloured yarn and started with the legs. Ugh! It looked awful and it definitely didn't look anything like a leg. I grabbed one of my old childhood Barbie dolls to get some perspective and to use as a model for my crocheted person. Well dang - this toilet was the perfect size for Barbie. She looks pretty darn funny sitting there atop the toilet.

That's it! I'll use Barbie. Oh I loved this idea 100 times more than making a crochet person for the toilet. It was like Barbie thumbing her nose at all those people who have made her stand inside a roll of toilet paper in some horrible garrish enormously puffy dress with some equally awful hat on her head. Love it!

Of my Barbies, my Miss Amercia 1970s Quick Curl Barbie won the honours. I changed her into a short dress that one of my other Barbies had been wearing (to hike up around her waist so she could use the toilet). She also had the advantage of having bent arms.... perfect for holding the newspaper! I also love the fact that she looks so much like a TV character Kath, from a show here called "Kath and Kim." The exact same frizzy hair and all.

My one regret is that I didn't not have a tiny pair of Barbie panties to put around Barbie's ankles, but I was still super happy with the result. I know it made me laugh, and I hoped it would give others a good laugh, too. Well, it must of worked because I won the competition! Yippee!

I wrote down the pattern whilst making Barbie's toilet. I will endeavour to get it up here on my blog sometime in the next week or so. So stay tuned!

TOILET BASEWith turquoise blue colour (this forms the “water” for the inside of the toilet)Ch-22, slip stitch to first chain to form a ring.

Round 1: ch-1. SC once into each chain around (slip stitch into the first SC to finish the round, for this and every subsequent round). (22 SC made).

Round 2: ch-1. *Two SC into the first stitch. 1 SC into the next stitch.* Repeat from * to * around. (33 SC made).

Round 3: ch-1. *Two SC into the first stitch. 1 SC into each of the next 2 stitches.* Repeat from * to * around. (44 SC made). Finish off blue.

You are now going to be working the “toilet seat”.

Round 4: Attach white yarn in first SC of Round 3. *Ch-1, 2 SC in the first stitch. 1 SC into each of the next 3 stitches.* Repeat from * to * around.

Round 5: Ch-1. *2 SC into first stitch. 1 SC into each of next 5 stitches.* Repeat from * to * around.

Round 6: Repeat Round 5. (You should now check that the circle you’ve made is the same size as the top of the roll of toilet paper you are going to use to put inside the cover. Roll sizes vary greatly from brand to brand. If necessary, you can repeat round 6 to make it larger… or rip out a row if it is too big).

Round 7: TURN WORK OVER TO THE “WRONG SIDE.” You are now going to surface crochet (around the post) on the bottom of side of Round 6. 1 SC around each stitch of Round 6.

You are now going to be woking the base of the toilet, under the toilet seat.

Round 8. Ch-1. 1 SC into each stitch.

Round 9. Ch-1. *1 SC into each of the next 4 stitches. You are now going to do a SC decrease over the next two stitches (aka SC2TOG).* Repeat from * to * around.

Round 10: Ch-1. 1 SC into each stitch.

Round 11: Repeat Round 10.

Round 12: Repeat Round 9.Rounds 13-22: Ch-1. 1 SC into each stitch.At the end of round 22, you should make sure to check that your item now adequately covers your roll of toilet paper. If it is not long enough, you can add additional row(s) of SC. Fasten off.

LIDWith white… Ch-4. Slip stitch into first chain to form a ring.

Round 1: Ch-1. 10 SC into the center of the ring. Slip stitch to first SC to join round (here and at the end of every subsequent round). (10 SC made).

Round 4: Ch-1. *2 SC into first stitch. 1 SC into each of the next 2 stitches.* Repeat from * to * around. (40 SC made).

Round 5: Ch-1. *2 SC into first stitch. 1 SC into each of the next 3 stitches.* Repeat from * to * around. (50 SC made).

Round 6: Ch-1. *2 SC into first stitch. 1 SC into each of the next 4 stitches.* Repeat from * to * around. (60 SC made).

Attached lid to base of toilet by single crocheting the two together over approximately 8 stitches. Attach the lid at the raised round that forms the outside edge of the toilet seat above.

CISTERN / TANKWith white… Ch-17.

Row 1: SC into the 2nd chain from the hook and into each chain across (16 SC made). Ch-1 and turn.

Rows 2-77: SC into each stitch across. Ch-1 and turn. (work should measure 16 inches long. If work is not 16 inches long, you should add additional rows of SC as necessary or rip out rows if too long).

Measure six inches down on each side of the work and place a stitch marker on each side.

Turn your work ¼ turn clockwise. You will now be working one of the sides of the cistern (as indicated by the A & F in the diagram).Row 1 (Side A/F): Ch-1. Place 10 SC evenly spaced over these 6 inches (as indicated by your stitch marker). Ch-1 and turn.

Row 2 (Side A/F): SC in each stitch across. Ch-1 and turn.

Rows 3-10 (Side A/F): Single crochet in each stitch across… until the side measures 6 inches.

Rotate work ¼ turn clockwise. Work 10 SC over the side of the cistern side you just made (indicated by A in the diagram). Continue with an additional 10 SC over the top of your work (indicated by B in the diagram). Turn work ¼ turn counterclockwise then flip.

You will now repeat the instructions that you did for Side A/F, but now for Side C/G.

Turn work ¼ clockwise and work 10 SC over the side (indicated by C in the diagram). Slip stitch to last adjoining stitch of area B and finish off.

IMPORTANT: At this point please remove about 2 feet of white yarn from your ball or skein and set aside.

Making Up (all will be done with SC).With white… Join yarn at the corner where G & H meet.You are now going to join sides G & H together.Continue by joining areas E & K together.Continue by joining C & M together.Continue by joining B & N together.Continue by joining A & L together.Continue by joining D & J together.BEFORE YOU DO THE FINAL JOIN OF F & H…..Now is a good time to sew on any “flusher buttons” or items that you intend to attach to the cistern while you still have access to both the interior and exterior of your work.

You will also need to attach the cistern to the base of the toilet at this point. Make sure you line it up properly with where the toilet lid is attached to the base. Using the two feet of white yarn you set aside earlier, threaded through a yarn needle, just whip stitch the two together, attaching the front of the cistern to the back of the toilet in a few spots.

Now take your hobby/fiber fill and stuff it into the cistern. I recommend stuffing it pretty full so that the cistern is nice and firm and will stand up well. If you run out of hobby fill you can even use some paper towel, toilet paper, etc to fill it up. I DO recommend using something white to stuff it so no colour shows through your white yarn.

You are now ready to finish up the cistern by joining sides F & H with SC. Finish off and weave in your ends. Ta-da!

You can now add your toilet paper roll to the side by manipulating a small paper clip and using some toilet paper or paper towel. (You may need a small piece of clear sticky tape to start the roll and to finish the roll). Don’t forget to leave some of the roll dangling!

About Me

Originally from California, I have been living in Australia since 2005. I live with my husband and our adorable doggie, and I am a proud Auntie of 7.
I learned to crochet in 2008. My dad's wonderful wife Cathy taught me to crochet in the back of the car - making herself carsick in the process.
I originally wanted to learn crochet because I've loved Granny Squares ever since I was a kid. I was fascinated by the magic of making something so interesting from a hook and a ball of yarn.